Year: 2025

Dapol 09 re-weathered

Kelvin Barnes Uncategorized

This is an Class 09 in O Gauge. It came factory weathered, and although I am not a fan of this type of weathering, I thought the fade application was quite good and decided it was a good base for improvement.

I added the extras pack of high level pipes and windscreen wipers.

From the start it was going to be what weathering I would remove and what I would add. Firstly the removal, using a cotton bud and some white spirit I cleaned up the con-rods, the many handrails and the windows. It became clear at this time that the ‘fade’ paint had been sprayed on over the top of all the handrails, I also suspect the cab was treated before fitting to the main body as there was no fade on it at all.

I then started re-weathering using a black wash and moist brush technique. There were several places that did not get any weathering at the factory, tops of footplate boxes being the most obvious, but there were a few more small places. I put some rust paint around the exhaust outlet on the roof before I resprayed the exhaust port.

I replaced the O/H warning symbols as they were 70’s early 80’s and I want to run the Loco in the early 90’s. The BR symbol had a blue tint to it from the fade operation, so I replaced it.

Finally the frame was resprayed with Railmatch ‘Frame Dirt’ as the original colour was very light and looked ‘washed out’ and then touched the springs up by dry brushing a little ‘Dark Rust’

I think I will revisit this loco when everything is well and truly dry – I have a few more things in mind!

STD Class 4 tank finished

Kelvin Barnes Uncategorized ,

I have now finished my O Gauge STD tank. I have coaled the Bunker, added a crew, painted the back-head, painted the fittings and pipes as the prototype with brass and copper metallic paint, glazed the windows and given it a very light weathering.

That was quite a job, but was so satisfying. I found a photo of the prototype about a month out of works and tried to weather it as the photo.

More Baseboards Made

Kelvin Barnes Uncategorized

I have made all of the baseboard kits I had ‘in hand’. As I said in the previous post, I have no plans for them at present, but I am sure they will be used.

So I now have the 3′ roundabout fiddle yard, and a sector plate option, see recent post. I have three plain boards, a 4′, a 3′ and a small narrow gauge board. I think that should do two layouts, but what formation!

Grange & Hodder Rotary Fiddle Yard

Kelvin Barnes Uncategorized

Another day and something very different. I have had this Laser Cut kit for over a year, it has been stored at the back of the garage for too long, so today I made it up.

I was actually given the kit in payment for work I did for the now departed Ian Hammond, a good friend, sorely missed.

I had no use for this fiddle yard at the time and still have no definite plans to use it – but who knows what will happen during the long winter months! I also have standard 4′ and 3′ boards by the same manufacturer, I will make them up soon and see what ideas come forth! There is a possibility that using it as a conventional sector plate may be possible.

Very easy to put together, instructions a bit basic, but adequate. This one is a 3′ model, but they are available in a 4′ option I believe. Very usable in N, OO9, OO and O derivatives, not too sure about other gauges!

BR STD 4 Tank in O Gauge

Kelvin Barnes Uncategorized ,

This is a item I purchased nearly two years ago, it was plain black with red buffer beams and made by Bachmann Brass. I have to say that lining locos has very much taken a back seat recently, at 76 years old, I am not as good as I used to be, hence I kept putting it back for fear of messing it up.

Well, I picked up enough courage to have a go today, it went reasonably well, but one side is slightly better than the other, it took me seven hours to do what I used to do in half the time. I used Johnsons Clear floor polish (the old type), to get good transfer adhesion, the transfers were mainly Fox, with the logos being HMRS.

I can not say that I enjoyed doing it, but I did it, and that is the last loco I need to do for myself. I still have a lot to do to the loco, I will post again when it is completely finished.

I picked a Loco that was used on three different Regions of BR so that I can run it in all as necessary.

Heljan PMV Van in O Gauge.

Kelvin Barnes Uncategorized ,

Here is one of the latest Heljan PMV vans. I have given it a Medium/Heavy weathering, Body medium, roof and underframe Heavy.

I have to say a lovely model and will be getting at least two – when I can afford it!

Since taking these photos I had given the door vents a coat of Matt Varnish to dull them down a bit!

Another Class 24 in O Gauge.

Kelvin Barnes Uncategorized ,

In my last post reference Class 24’s, I said that they were all finished – wrong! The day after our group member Nick asked whether I would weather one for him, how could I say ‘no’.

Slightly different to all the others I have done, BR Blue in PRE-TOPS. After research, I came up with D5008, just after it was repainted into blue. Because of what it is, it is Light on the body, but medium on the underframe.

Industrial J94 – weathered

Kelvin Barnes Uncategorized ,

As I said in the previous post about this Loco – a quick turnaround so that it can be displayed at the Mid Suffolk Light Railway August Bank Holiday weekend.

I added a red connecting rod to make it a bit different – other than that, it’s as previous photos. It has been given a light/medium dusting on the body and a medium underframe weathering. A crew has been added and wheels cleaned.

Industrial J94 in O Gauge

Kelvin Barnes Uncategorized ,

This Dapol J94 arrived yesterday as an early logo British rail Loco 68030! Just 24 hours later, it is Loco number 14 and named ‘Maggie.

What do I think of the Dapol J94, yes great little loco, but it again suffers from push fit or not enough glue on handrails and other detail items. I found several pieces in the bottom of the box, except one rear window that was totally missing.

After putting back all errant pieces, stripping the original tampo printing, a partial repaint and full varnish, I added the plates for its new identity, which is totally fictitious. It will now dry for several days before weathering.

You may ask – why an industrial? Well I am doing a display of Industrial O Gauge Locos at the Mid Suffolk Light Railway over the Sunday and Monday of the August Bank Holiday and I simply wanted a J94 in my stud of Locos.

Surprised

Kelvin Barnes Uncategorized ,

Surprised when I saw the latest O Gauge Gazette. The Layout ‘Ashwell Moor’ I made for my Son several years ago appears on the front cover of the Gazette. It had already appeared on the Summer Show at Kempton Park Video by the Guild, but here it was with my stock on the cover of the Guild Magazine – thanks all concerned.

To make it even better, my friend Colin French has an article on one of his famous Micro Layouts ‘Foxbile Brewery’ in the same addition. Colin lets me weather his stock for this and some of his other layouts and its a pleasure to do it for him.